Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America

A Biography

William E. Gienapp

In Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America, historian William Gienapp provides a remarkably concise, up-to-date, and vibrant biography of the most revered figure in United States history. While the heart of the book focuses on the Civil War, Gienapp begins with a finely etched portrait of Lincoln's early life, from pioneer farm boy to politician and lawyer in Springfield, to his stunning election as sixteenth president of the United States. Students will see how Lincoln grew during his years in office, how he developed a keen aptitude for military strategy and displayed enormous skill in dealing with his generals, and how his war strategy evolved from a desire to preserve the Union to emancipation and total war.

Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America

A Biography

William E. Gienapp

Description

In Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America, historian William Gienapp provides a remarkably concise, up-to-date, and vibrant biography of the most revered figure in United States history. While the heart of the book focuses on the Civil War, Gienapp begins with a finely etched portrait of Lincoln's early life, from pioneer farm boy to politician and lawyer in Springfield, to his stunning election as sixteenth president of the United States. Students will see how Lincoln grew during his years in office, how he developed a keen aptitude for military strategy and displayed enormous skill in dealing with his generals, and how his war strategy evolved from a desire to preserve the Union to emancipation and total war. Gienapp shows how Lincoln's early years influenced his skills as commander-in-chief and demonstrates that, throughout the stresses of the war years, Lincoln's basic character shone through: his good will and fundamental decency, his remarkable self-confidence matched with genuine humility, his immunity to the passions and hatreds the war spawned, his extraordinary patience, and his timeless devotion. A former backwoodsman and country lawyer, Abraham Lincoln rose to become one of our greatest presidents. This biography offers a vivid account of Lincoln's dramatic ascension to the pinnacle of American history.

Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America

A Biography

William E. Gienapp

Table of Contents

Preface1. A Son of the Frontier2. Thwarted Ambition3. Rise to Power4. A People's Contest5. From Limited War to Revolution6. Midstream7. To Finish the Task8. With Malice Toward NoneChronology of Abraham LincolnList of AbbreviationsNotesBibliographical EssayIndex

Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America

A Biography

William E. Gienapp

Reviews and Awards

"Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America is the best brief biography of Lincoln that I have read. Briskly written, concise, and informed by the latest scholarship, it is destined to become a standard book in its field."-- David Herbert Donald, Charles Warren Professor of American History Emeritus, Harvard University and author of Lincoln

"In a notoriously crowded field, this book is something quite rare: a truly concise, authoritative overview of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. While scholars will admire its sure command of the subject and its deft treatment of complicated historical issues, this book will be particularly valuable for non-specialists. Written in clear and direct prose by one of the leading scholars in the field, it is an ideal choice for the student or general reader."--Douglas L. Wilson, McCabe-Greer Professor of History of the Civil War Era at Pennsylvania State University and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Fate of Liberty: Abraham Lincoln and Civil Liberties